The present invention relates to a vehicle striker assembly to which a latch assembly connects and, more particularly, to a striker assembly having a rotatably mounted striker pin and a lever fixedly connected to the striker pin for rotation therewith. In one embodiment, the striker pin assembly is provided for use in conjunction with a dual-mode tailgate and will be described with particular reference thereto. It is to be appreciated, however, that the invention may relate to other similar environments and applications.
Strikers are often employed in vehicle applications for providing a structure to which a latch or lock may be secured. For example, closure devices on vehicles often include latching or locking assemblies that latch onto a striker disposed on a vehicle main body for purposes of securing or locking the closure device in a desired position. In some applications, the closure device may be a door or tailgate pivotally connected to a vehicle main body and the striker may be used for latching the closure device in a closed position.
Strikers and the latching devices that connect thereto are known to wear as a result of repeated contact therebetween. Significant wear on the striker and/or the latching device can ultimately result in a failure of the latching device and/or can lead to undesirable noise associated with each latching onto the striker. The wear problem is exasperated when, in addition to selectively latching onto the striker, the closure structure is pivotally moveable about the striker or a pivot axis defined by the striker.
An example of a closure structure that both latches onto a striker and pivots about the striker or a pivot axis defined by the striker is a dual-mode tailgate. More particularly, a dual-mode tailgate typically includes one or more strikers to which locking assemblies of the dual-mode tailgate latch. The one or more strikers also define one or more respective pivot axes about which the tailgate is moveable for opening of the tailgate in one of its dual modes. The one or more strikers are subjected to engagement wear whenever the locking assemblies are latched to the one or more strikers and, additionally, whenever the tailgate is pivotally moved toward one of its open positions.
“Dual-mode” typically refers to at least two directions or pivot axes along which a dual-mode tailgate is openable. Often, the dual-mode tailgate is selectively openable in a first, fold-down direction about an axis generally parallel with a bottom edge of the tailgate similar to a conventional pick-up truck tailgate and, alternatively, a second, side-to-side direction about an axis generally parallel with a lateral edge of the tailgate.
Generally, a dual-mode tailgate includes a dual-mode hinge pivotally connecting the tailgate to the vehicle main body, a first hinge/lock assembly spaced apart from the dual-mode hinge in a first direction and a second hinge/lock assembly spaced apart from the dual-mode hinge in a second direction. The first hinge/lock assembly selectively latches onto a first striker mounted to the vehicle main body and pivotally moves about a first axis defined by the first striker when the second hinge/lock assembly is unlatched from a second striker mounted to the vehicle main body. The second/hinge lock assembly selectively latches onto the second striker and pivotally moves about a second axis defined by the second striker when the first hinge/lock is unlatched from the first striker.
In an exemplary dual-mode tailgate, the dual-mode hinge is positioned in a lower-left corner of the tailgate, the first hinge/lock assembly is positioned in a lower-right corner of the tailgate and the second hinge/lock assembly is positioned in an upper-left corner of the tailgate. When the first hinge/lock assembly is detached from the first striker, the tailgate is openable in a first mode (e.g., swing-open mode) wherein the second hinge/lock assembly and the dual-mode hinge cooperate to pivotally connect the tailgate to the vehicle main body along the first axis (e.g., an axis generally parallel with a lateral edge of the tailgate). When the tailgate is opened in the first mode, the second hinge/lock pivots or rotates about the first axis which is at least partially defined by the first striker.
When the second hinge/lock is detached from the second striker, the tailgate is openable in a second mode (e.g., flip-down mode) wherein the first hinge/lock assembly and the dual-mode hinge cooperate to pivotally connect the tailgate to the vehicle main body along the second axis (e.g., an axis generally parallel with a bottom edge of the tailgate). When the tailgate is opened in the second mode, the first hinge/lock pivots or rotates about the second axis which is at least partially defined by the second striker. Often, a lock assembly is provided in a corner of the tailgate catty-corner or diagonally opposite the dual-mode hinge to further secure the tailgate to the vehicle when the tailgate is in a closed position.
Any improvements to striker assemblies, particularly improvements that limit wear or extend the useful life of the striker assembly and/or the latching device, are deemed desirable. Further, any improvements that limit wear of the striker assembly and/or the latching device in applications where the striker assembly serves a pivot point, in addition to serving as a structure for latching, are deemed desirable.